Laurel Street Tabernacle and Jim Jones

The Laurel Street Tabernacle in Indianapolis, Indiana, appears to be the church where Jim Jones of Peoples Temple was recruited into Branham's "Message" cult following. During the early years of Jim Jones' ministry in Indianapolis and prior to the formation of Peoples Temple, Jones was an aspiring "healing revivalist" with strong ties to the Latter Rain version of William Branham's "Message".

Laurel Street Tabernacle was affiliated with the Assemblies of God before the Assemblies split when it denounced Branham's "Latter Rain" doctrine. This split was significant as it relates to Jim Jones and Peoples Temple; Roy Wead, Lester Sumrall, and Jim Jones chose to break from the main sect of the Assemblies and join Branham's "Latter Rain" through the Independent Assemblies of God led by A. W. Rasmussen and Joseph Mattsson-Boze.

Roy H. Wead was the First District Superintendent for the Assemblies of God in Indiana. Wead was the youth and missions director for Ohio and Indiana, well known by most of the pastors in the state. His son, Doug Wead, was an advisor for two American presidents and a special assistant to George H. W. Bush. Wead was married to Rosa Mae Short, daughter of famous Pentecostal evangelist Willa J. Short who falsely posed as a widow during her ministry in Texas. Wead became a leader in Branham's sect, writing publications describing why he sided with Branham after the split. According to Wead, it was "God's plan that all hear this ‘Message’” referring to the Latter Rain version of William Branham’s “Message” cult following.

More about the Laurel Street Tabernacle on Jonestown Institute:
https://jonestown.sdsu.edu/?page_id=92702

More about the Laurel Street Tabernacle on William Branham Historical Research:
https://william-branham.org/site/admin/research/entry/laurel_street_tabernacle

Roy Wead:
https://william-branham.org/site/research/people/roy_h_wead

Jim Jones:
https://william-branham.org/site/research/people/jim_jones